Scope and Content

This collection consists of family papers, including marriage settlements, wills, etc of the Irby family, Barons Boston, relating to their property in Counties Sligo, Cavan, Donegal, Dublin, Cork, Kerry, Kilkenny, Limerick and Meath in Ireland, and concerning estates in Suffolk, Warwickshire and Buckinghamshire in England. Also contains documents relating to appointment of trustees and estate duty accounts.

Administrative / Biographical History

The Irby family derives its name from Irby on Humber, Lincolnshire. The family seats were Lligwy in Moelfre, Anglesey in Wales and Hedsor, Buckinghamshire with other properties throughout England and Ireland.

During the reign of Henry VIII the Irby family was settled at Gosberton, Lincolnshire. Anthony Irby of Gosberton married Alice Bunting, they had five daughters and seven sons. He died in 1552 and his fourth son, Thomas Irby, inherited the estate. His heir was Anthony Irby, an eminent lawyer who became MP for Boston in the reigns of Elizabeth and James I. He died 1625. His heir, also Sir Anthony Irby, and an MP and High Sheriff of the county of Lincoln in the reign of Charles I, died in 1632. He was succeeded by his son, also Anthony who married four times, without children until the fourth marriage, to Catherine, daughter of William, 5th Baron Paget, which resulted in a son and five daughters. His son, Anthony Irby, succeeded him in 1670. The peerage was created in 1704 when his eldest son, Edward Irby was created a baronet on 13 April, becoming 1st Baronet and MP for Boston. His only son William Irby, born 1706, was 2nd Baronet, 1st Baron Boston. He was given the title Baron Boston in 1761. He filled several high offices about court during the reigns of George I and George II and before his peerage sat in parliament representing Launceston and Bodmin.

Sir William Irby's eldest son Frederick, 2nd Baron Boston was born in 1749. His heir George, born 1777, was 3rd Baron Boston. George was succeeded by his eldest son, also George, 4th Baron Boston, born in 1802. He married and his heir was Florance George Henry, 5th Baron, born 1837, his heir being, George Florance, 6th Baron. Greville Northey Irby, 7th Baron, born 1889 was the son of Cecil Irby, second son of the 5th Baron.

Arrangement

Material was received on two separate occasions, arranged in chronological order and incorporated into the General Collection of Bangor Manuscripts .